"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross."
-- Sinclair Lewis

Thursday, June 23, 2016

What Would It Take For The GOP To Actually Deny Trump The Nomination?

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You may have heard a rising star in the Georgia Republican Party, first vice chairman Michael McNeely, was unceremoniously kicked out of a Donald Trump event in Atlanta. He's a Trump supporter and a convention delegate. What the media has been shy about discussing is that party status is trumped by race: no negroes welcome anywhere near Mr. Trump.Trump, who claimed-- another lie-- that he's willing to self-fund his campaign (when he's been using it to make a profit for himself), was on Fox & Friends Tuesday whining about how Republicans are giving him enough support: "I need support from the Republicans. I mean, in some ways I get more support from the Democrats than I do the Republicans." He was bitching about not having the full support of Republican governors, senators and congressmen, many of whom are worried that he's so toxic that their own careers will be damaged by association with him in the minds of voters.The desperate movement among Republican convention delegates to deny him the nomination is growing, but is unlikely to succeed. You've heard the complaints: "he peppers his rallies with condemnations of fellow Republicans, recounts how he defeated his GOP primary opponents and spouts controversial rhetoric and positions popular with his core base but suspect among the more politically diverse November electorate. Said one delegate: "If he keeps sinking and sinking and sinking-- if he keeps attacking Republicans, I'd be interested in dumping him."The right-wing website, Washington Examinerreported that just the existence of the insurgency reveals the extent of Trump's problems.

At a time when he should be unifying the GOP for the fight ahead against Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump is instead attempting to put out fires of dissension that he is mostly responsible for fanning.The situation has left the Republican Party paralyzed."Most Republican leaders are resigned to sleeping in the bed voters have made, believing the long-term damage will be made far worse by ousting Trump," a Republican National Committee member told the Washington Examiner on Monday.Specifically regarding the prospects for an insurgency, this RNC member added: "It's an absolute pipe dream unless [House Speaker] Paul Ryan or [RNC Chairman] Reince Priebus are on board."The backlash comes just four weeks before Republicans are set to gather in Cleveland to crown Trump their 2016 nominee. It's being spearheaded by members of the "#NeverTrump" crowd inside the GOP, as well as Republicans who supported Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the primary....The conspiring convention delegates have in recent days participated in a series of conference calls to flesh out a cohesive strategy.Their initial goal is to push for changes to the convention rules that would make it easier for delegates to sidestep rules binding the vote of the delegates on first ballot on the convention floor to the candidate that won the cause or primary in their state, and vote their conscience. Doing so could make it easier to block Trump.

Look at this meme that was sent out by Doug Applegate, the Democratic candidate running against the wealthiest Republican in Congress, Darrell Issa in what was thought to be a safely red San Diego County congressional district (CA-49):

About 26% Hispanic-- and with voter registration growing rapidly in that community-- Issa is beginning to feel there might be a price to pay for his support for Trump. McCain won the district with 53% and Romney won it with 52.4%. Both Meg Whitman (56.5%) and Carly Fiorina (59.3%) won there and Issa has won re-election with 58% in 2012 and with 60% in 2014. As of May 18 Applegate had spent $39,636 to Issa's $637,148. Issa has $3,772,228 in his warchest and Applegate has $13,809. That a poll shows them tied is stunning and if results like that begin to show up around the country for entrenched Republicans... well, that would be the only way I can see the convention denying Trump the nomination. Get the popcorn ready.